Mary Connolly was named to the BIG EAST Conference Weekly Honor Roll on Monday.

April 1, 2013

CHICAGO – Mary Connolly’s booming bat made it a pleasant Easter weekend for the Blue Demons.

And for that, the sophomore designated player was rewarded on Monday with her first BIG EAST Conference accolade of the season.

Connolly was chosen for the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after leading DePaul (18-13, 5-1) to a series win over Pittsburgh.

Connolly’s two-run home run on Friday sparked a 7-2 victory over the Panthers and salvaged a split of the BIG EAST doubleheader in the Blue Demons’ Cacciatore Stadium home opener.

Less than 24 hours later, Connolly drilled a no-doubter well beyond the center-field fence with Staci Bonezek and Samantha Dodd aboard in DePaul’s 4-1 triumph.

In the three-game series, Connolly went 3-for-9 (.333) with two home runs, five RBIs and two runs.

The pair of long balls increased Connolly’s team-leading home run total to eight. The five RBIs moved her into the team lead with 20 on the season, surpassing previous team leader Kirsten Verdun (18).

After the power-packed weekend, Connolly now tops the team in slugging percentage at .583 and is tied with Allie Braden for the lead in total bases at 56.

In conference action, Connolly leads the BIG EAST in hits, is second in home runs and total bases and tied for third in RBIs.

Connolly would like nothing better than to launch a couple more blasts on Wednesday when a Cacciatore Stadium crowd filled with screaming school children will cheer on the Blue Demons during a Field Trip Day doubleheader against Seton Hall at 11 a.m.